GALAXY S 4

Just as the Samsung Galaxy S5 is announced, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition is made available to the public. Here this week at Mobile World Congress 2014 we’ve gotten the opportunity to get up close and personal with this unique iteration of the device, new back cover and everything. What’s the big difference, you may ask? It’s got faux stitching!

As we inch toward the Mobile World Congress 2014 reveal of the Samsung Galaxy S5, we’re seeing bits and pieces that fit together to create a smartphone that might battle the iPhone 5s directly. Word from SamMobile has it that the Galaxy S5 will have Samsung’s own implementation of a swipe-to-scan sensor under the device’s home button. This home button will be physical, like in past releases, and capacitive buttons will flank it.

Smartphones come in all shapes and sizes, some more classy than others. Options exist for getting a nice-looking smartphone that complements a business look -- the Moto X's wood-backing option, for example. Leather has been a staple in the classy category for years, and starting next month, those in Russia can get it in black on the back of a GALAXY S 4.

Today a listing at LG's South Korean wireless group LG U+ is suggesting that the next Samsung Galaxy smartphone - the Galaxy S 5 - will be appearing with another 1080p display. This wouldn't be unheard of - many users working with 1080p displays today have been more than adamant about the sharpness being well and above enough for normal, every-day activities. But this tip would, on the other hand, fly in the face of quad HD lovers everywhere - aka those that have suggested the next Galaxy device will ramp up again.

A new study was recently published by JDSU that looks at the data usage of high-end smartphone users compared to the amount of data that tablet and other smartphone users consume. According to the report, users of flagship smartphones like the iPhone 5S and Galaxy S4 are consuming more data than the tablet using contemporaries. The data comes from a large-scale survey conducted on mobile data conversion last year.

If there’s one thing that can be said without hesitation about Pelican’s delivery of cases for devices, it’s that they’re rugged. Each time we’ve had our hands on a case from this group, known for their protection of vital gear on all levels, consumer to infantry (for quite a few years, mind you), we’ve found them to go above and beyond the call of duty. This Pelican ProGear CE1250 Protector Series Phone Case for the Samsung Galaxy S 4 is no exception to the rule.

Samsung this weekend teased an upcoming announcement about its Exynos processor ecosystem. The company will formally deliver the announcement on Jan. 7, 2014 at CES. Details are scant at best, but all indications point either to implementation of heterogeneous multi-processing (HMP) in its Exynos 5 Octa line of systems-on-chips (SoCs), or an all-new Exynos 6 Octa with HMP. The tease could also indicate a long-rumored 64-bit Exynos.

Samsung may be developing a new wearable fitness tracker. The so-called "Galaxy Band" would likely be an update to the seemingly discontinued S-Band, the screen-less, wrist-mounted tracker for pairing with a Galaxy S 4. The Galaxy Band would add a screen along with an array of other fitness- and health-oriented tracking features.

The world of Samsung smartphones runs the gamut from one size to another. Want a phone that doubles as a small tablet? There's a Galaxy for that. Not everyone finds phablet-sized smartphones of adequate size for a tablet, however, and so they opt for a larger dedicated tablet and, conversely, a smaller smartphone to complement it. Others simply want a small easy-to-hold-and-pocket offering. Regardless of your reasons for leaning towards the diminutive end of the spectrum, Samsung aims to have your back, rolling out the svelte GALAXY S 4 Mini -- a miniature version of its popular handset by the same name. How does the smartphone hold up to its larger brethren? Read our full SlashGear review to find out.

Aio Wireless has been in the news quite a bit recently, having been on the receiving end of a lawsuit from T-Mobile for the use of a shade of magenta. Late last month, the AT&T subsidiary announced that it will be expanding its markets to the nationwide level in a little under two weeks, something that will include one more smartphone option than previously.